| Budget Amount *help |
¥2,400,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,400,000)
Fiscal Year 1999: ¥700,000 (Direct Cost: ¥700,000)
Fiscal Year 1998: ¥800,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000)
Fiscal Year 1997: ¥900,000 (Direct Cost: ¥900,000)
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| Research Abstract |
Europe has to a large extent retained the diversity of its original languages (derived in part from Latin and Ancient Greek), this diversity being the outcome of a process of cultural development that began in the distant past. The multiplicity of European languages is of course a treasure to be safeguarded. It is essentially a question of creating in the European Union a general atmosphere of mutual respect in a context of diversity, I.e. of fostering better understanding of the innumerable linguistic and cultural nuances that are specific to Europe, and thus attempt to produce a spirit of positive tolerance based on recognition and solidarity. It is in this spirit that some practical suggestions of the EU are put forward on how to promote a spirit of linguistic comprehension and tolerance, and encourage language teaching in the Community. Rather than delve into possible solutions to technical problems, it would be advisable to adopt a number of political measures aimed at settling linguistic problems within the EU geographical area in a spirit of freedom and mutual respect.
In this spirit, bilingualism and multilingualism, while very much a feature in Europe, are largely ignored and should be given recognition wherever they occur, be it in regions, groups of people, or individuals. This new approach would also make a major contribution to easing tension between language groups. Furthermore, administrative practice should take cross-border linguistic patterns into account and, when training programmes are drawn up, leave a suitable amount of room for languages that are geographically close to each other.
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